2008 Episode Guide
Episode Guide By Year The HotSpot 01/08/2008 Happy New Year! It's 2008 and we've been off for way too long, but now we're back, and we still have no idea what we're doing. If an amazing game peripheral falls but it's surrounded by 80-inch flat screens, does it make a sound? Who sold the most consoles last year? Will this show ever get back on track? We answer most of these questions in the latest episode of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 01/15/2008 The HotSpot returns to find The News has invited all its friends over for a surprise party! It's a good thing The News is a huge dork and the worst thing we had to worry about was EA buying stakes in the Korean gaming market, someone letting Uwe Boll make another movie, and some pictures of Resistance 2...such a nice boy. Of course, we had to call some parents, so don't expect to be seeing Super Smash Bros. Brawl any time soon. We cover all of this, your phone calls, and much more on this week's episode of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 01/22/2008 Even though there's a brand-new Dragon Ball Z game on the horizon, The HotSpot crew somehow manages to talk about other things. Is the Xbox indeed crack for kids? Does your doctor practice on the Wii? Is $18 billion enough for the game industry to finally buy itself some respect? Also, we say good-bye to Alex Navarro and get his take on this crazy biz. You'll get all this, your phone calls and much, much more on this episode of The HotSpot. Notes: This was Alex Navarro's last regular episode on the HotSpot. The HotSpot 01/29/2008 The HotSpot crew closes out January with some great news! Will GTAIV finally arrive? Will you be able to finally do your drum-vs.-drum battle in Rock Band? Is a hip-hop version of Gears of War 2 on the horizon? We answer all these questions, take your e-mails and calls, and more on this edition of The HotSpot! Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 02/12/2008 In this latest episode of The HotSpot, Ryan Davis bids the crew a fond farewell while still taking time to warn us of the dangers of all things non-pencil. Can you guess which games took away top honors at D.I.C.E.? Does Street Fighter IV have what it takes to stay on top? How much more Mass Effect will you be seeing in 2008? We answer all these questions, take your phone calls, and much, much more on this edition of The HotSpot. Notes: This was Ryan Davis' last regular episode on the HotSpot. The HotSpot 02/19/2008 Are we seeing the bitter end of the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD war? The HotSpot crew is here to guide you through the carnage. Will you trade your axe for some wheels of steel in DJ Hero? Can a Street Fighter movie get any weirder? Will this month's NPD numbers actually shock you? We answer all these questions, take your phone calls and e-mails, and much, much more on the latest edition of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 02/26/2008 Tick, tick, tick, tick, boom! Dynamite! The HotSpot explodes after GDC and sends pieces of Bionic Commando, Street Fighter IV, and Gears of War 2 flying all around our little studio. We say our farewells to Phil Harrison, the X360 HD DVD player, non-Madden football games, and one other very special person. So, get into your comfy place, because we take your phone calls, e-mails, and much more on this edition of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 03/04/2008 Metal Gear Awesome? Heck yeah it is. Is MGS4 so big that no media on earth could hold it? Are the hallways of Atari tall enough for Phil Harrison? Are you ready for 2108? Do you like winning awesome prizes? We answer all these questions, even the one about you liking prizes, and much, much more on the greatest episode of The HotSpot yet! Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 03/11/2008 This week the HotSpot crew talks about how crazy it would be to have a Blu-ray drive for your Xbox 360. Did you know people like buying games, even in February? Is the ESRB doomed? Want to hear your predications for life in 2108? What exactly is the coolest prize ever? Find out the answers to all that, plus your e-mails, phone calls, and even prizes, all on this week's episode of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 03/18/2008 The HotSpot gang considers the pros and cons of games being considered porn. Also, did you know that people like Super Smash Bros.? It's true, and we've got the numbers to prove it. Ready for a new Star Trek MMO game? Is Bionic Commando so awesome it will break Xbox Live? We answer all these questions, give away the best prize ever, take your phone calls, and much more on this episode of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 03/25/2008 We fight through the onslaught of Clouds lining up outside to bring you all the news that's fit to read aloud...especially if that news has to do with lawsuits, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band. That's right, everybody is suing everybody, Nickelodeon is making 1,600 new games, and the CFO of EA thinks it's time to step away. The world has gone mad. We try to bring a little sanity with your phone calls, emails, Final Fantasy-based prizes, and more, all on this week's episode of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 04/01/2008 This week The HotSpot talks about the Xbox 360 Blu-ray player and what that means for the PlayStation 3. Also, with its new price cut, will the Nintendo Wii take the current gen crown? Will more delays force Grand Theft Auto 4 into vaporware? Are all these stories completely invented? Get all the answers, your phone calls, prize giveaways, and more on this April Fools' edition of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 04/08/2008 Join The HotSpot this week as we celebrate Europe's entrance into the Rock Band arena. Also, does a rock devil really need to be so devilish? Think of the children! Will Grand Theft Auto IV be delayed again? Is "Photograph" really the best Def Leppard song? What's the proper height of a book? We answer all these questions, call our weekly prize winners, and much more on this episode of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 04/15/2008 The HotSpot returns this week to dissect that ever-evolving beast we call "The News." Is Hollywood shaking at the thought of competing against the likes of Grand Theft Auto IV? Is the entire world finally accepting that video games are here to stay? Can we report on Resident Evil 5 without offending someone? We try to answer all of these questions, take your emails and phone calls, and offer up some new challenges, all on this week's episode of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 04/22/2008 This week the HotSpot gang sifts through so much Grand Theft Auto IV news you might just cancel that preorder. Yeah, right. Will the UK become the next haven for game developers? Will you be playing the drums in Guitar Hero IV? Will we ever see the Wonder Twins versus Scorpion? How about an Optimus Prime impression that will blow your mind? Check it all out on this week's edition of The HotSpot. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 04/29/2008 What can we say? This week The HotSpot talks about Grand Theft Auto IV--a lot. We talk about the game, the launches, and the response it's generating in the greater gaming universe. We also get gabby about the possibility of a DS price cut, some Spore goodness, Matt Damon, and even EA. Really, though, even the calls are about GTAIV, so turn on your computer and give a listen while you make your way through what could be one of the most acclaimed games of the decade. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 05/06/2008 This week's very special edition of the HotSpot sees a whopping five panelists engage in some multiplayer debate about GTAIV, Acti-Blizzard freezing out E3 and the ESA, Killzone 2 being delayed, and Rock Band turning up profits to 11. Last but certainly not least, Don Vincenzo di Caravella says "ciao" to the GameSpot gang as hosting duties pass to someone of Northern European descent... Notes: This was Vinnie Caravella's last episode hosting and final regular appearance on the HotSpot. It was also Shaun McInnis' first appearance. Tor Thorsen, Ryan MacDonald, and Aaron Thomas also appeared on this episode. The HotSpot 05/13/2008 This week Tor, Tim, and two guys named Tom discuss Metal Gear Solid 4 going gold, Too Human finally getting a release date, how best to Viva a Pinata, Activision's $3 billion year, Grand Theft Auto IV's record haul, Tony Hawk's 2008 hiatus, Skate on Wii and DS, Doom 4, and how best to play a game--by rushing through or taking your sweet, sweet time. Notes: This was Tor Thorsen's first full episode as host of the HotSpot. It was also Tom Mc Shea's first appearance on the show, and featured former GameSpot News writer Tim Surette and Tom Magrino. The HotSpot 05/20/2008 After a mad, mad, mad week of press events, Ricardo, Brendan, Tor, and Chris "Dirty" Watters discuss what is transpiring in the wide and wild world of gaming. This week's topics include Wii Fit launch confusion, April NPD numbers, still more GTAIV (last week, we promise), Sega getting the Platinum treatment, Konami staging a Rock Revolution, and--as always--your e-mails and phone calls! Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 05/28/2008 After being delayed one day by the Mother of All Technical SNAFUs, Tor dashes a 6-year-old girl's dreams by reconvening panelists to re-rap about such subjects as Ubisoft's posterior-driven Rayman TV Party and Shaun White's Assassin's Creed-a-riffic Snowboarding. Then it's on to Street Fighter 4, Resident Evil 5, BioShock on PS3, and Guitar Hero World Tour (last time, we swear). And, just to mix things up, we answer our first nudist phone call! Notes: One of the few times in HotSpot history where an episode had to be recorded due to a glitch (see the 03/09/11 podcast) The HotSpot 06/03/2008 As the US wearily welcomes the end of primary season, Aaron, Tom McShea, Justin, and Tor talk about the latest happenings in the world of gaming, including Tomonobu Itagaki's shocking resignation, Guitar Hero: Metallica, PS3 trophies and in-game XMB, deliberate US Wii Fit shortages, new releases, and your phone calls and e-mails! Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 06/10/2008 Yes, yes, yes. Tor, Brendan, and Mc "Space" Shea are sick of talking about GTAIV too, but the dang thing keeps making news--like selling the most units in 48 hours EVER. Also, our panel discusses Call of Duty: World at War, a potential Ubisoft-Take-Two union, iPhone games, Square Enix going all 360, gay characters in gaming, and much more! Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 06/17/2008 While Tor's away, Brendan, Tom, Tom, and Lark will play. The crew talks about popular series they just don't get, Metal Gear Solid 4, and the Mother of All Leaks (including avatars for Xbox 360, Guitar Hero World Tour details, and new Tony Hawk and Spider-Man games). There's even time enough to tackle one or two other topics (but just barely)! Notes: This was Brendan Sinclair's first episode guest hosting the HotSpot. The HotSpot 06/24/2008 After a one-week hiatus, host Tor returns to find Tom Mc Shea, Brendan Sinclair, and Chris Watters passed out in a trashed HotSpot studio. After some corporal punishment, the gang sits down to discuss Blizzard's mystery game, The Beatles' Rock Band/Guitar Hero dilemma, game sales pushing $63 billion in 2012, and the week's new releases and game reviews. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 07/01/2008 What to you get when you combine a Norseman, an Italian, two Irishmen, Battlefield: Bad Company, a Diablo III announcement, a Rock Band 2 unveil, the inside details on the PS3's trophy and in-game XMB, a bunch of reviews, a slew of crazy phone calls and e-mails, and a shooter based on Catcher in the Rye? This week's show, that's what. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 07/08/2008 With E3 looming on the horizon like a...huge looming thing, Tom, Aaron, Brendan, and Tor sit down to discuss the up-again-down-again-up-again PlayStation 3 firmware update, Infinity Ward's mystery project, Fallout 3's Australian ban, The Conduit and what it might mean for the Wii, and why trying to get developers to give frank responses in public is an increasingly Sisyphean task. Also on tap are the top worst-game-crossover submissions and your phone calls and e-mail! Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 07/17/2008 Our massive E3 megacast has nearly two hours of news from the frontlines of America's highest-profile gaming event. We've got rundowns of the latest news from Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts, Capcom, Konami, and Take-Two, including such games as Borderlands, Fallout 3, Resistance 2, Resistance for the PSP, Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360, Grand Theft Auto for the Nintendo DS (?!), and much, much more! Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 07/29/2008 Fully recovered from the long days and longer nights of E3, the HotSpot returns with Brendan, Tom Mc Shea, Kevin, and Lark talking about Activision's decision not to publish Brutal Legend and a bunch of other games, Brett Ratner's qualifications to direct a God of War movie, and spend an inordinate amount of time dwelling on the life and works of one Bette Midler. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 08/05/2008 To the delight and chagrin of many, Tor resumes hosting after narrowly escaping from the Vegas authorities. In cahoots with him are Brendan, Shaun, and HotSpot neophyte Jon Miller, who uses his dulcet voice to recount his experiences at QuakeCon. Also on the docket: The 360 Final Fantasy XIII pushing back the PlayStation 3 edition, 30 million Wiis, 14.4 million PS3s, new Call of Duty, Too Human going gold, the KOTOR massively multiplayer online game, social commentary in games, and much, much more! Notes: This was Jon Miller's first appearance on the HotSpot. The HotSpot 08/19/2008 Tor, Chris, and Jon kick around the week's gaming news like the Nigerian football team in Beijing. Topics on the pitch this week include Electronic Arts inking deals with Epic and Grasshopper, the latest NPD sales figures showing the PS3 on a roll, Spore going gold, Radical getting downsized, and whether or not an abundance of Wiis can improve a certain Midwestern state. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 08/12/2008 Brendan's back in the host's chair with an all-Thomas team of panelists (Mc Shea, Magrino, and Aaron) to tackle the week's topics, including Braid, Madden 09, Gears of War's replica rifles, piracy, and the intoxicating (or simply toxic) concoction of sex and violence in games. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 08/26/2008 Brendan returns to host Chris, Kevin, and Tom Mc Shark Attack through a minefield of controversial topics, from Kevin's Too Human review to the downside of the casual game trend, a potentially offensive Space Invaders art exhibit at Leipzig, how to fight gaming piracy, and Tom Mc Shawshank's favorite nickname. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 09/02/2008 A short show for a short week. This week's installment includes Shaun's report from the Leipzig Games Convention, Jon's impressions of Spore, Chris' response to Brett Ratner's Guitar Hero movie proposal, and Tor's farewell to the host's chair. Also this week: Square Enix's proposed Tecmo buyout, Warhammer Online going gold, Ninja Gaiden II selling 1 million, and the Xbox 360 being cheaper than the Wii...in Japan. Notes: This was Tor Thorsen's final episode as regular host of the HotSpot. The HotSpot 09/09/2008 Kevin Van Ord, Chris Watters, Tom Mc Shenanigans, and Brendan Sinclair take a few whacks at Viva Pinata, Spore, TNA Impact, the Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death, and a week's worth of news in a very special Dreamcast ninth-anniversary edition of the HotSpot. Notes: This was Brendan Sinclair's first episode as regular host of the HotSpot. The HotSpot 09/16/2008 EA won't be buying Take-Two after all, Microsoft is shutting down Halo Wars studio Ensemble, and Midway laid out the full Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe roster. Shaun McInnis, Sophia Tong, Tom Mc Shea and Brendan Sinclair debate whether any of this is good for the industry in a packed episode of the HotSpot. Notes: This was the first episode of The HotSpot to use The Eskimos song "The Pills" as its intro and outro music. The HotSpot 09/23/2008 Brian Ekberg, Tom Mc Shea, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair hit the week's high notes, from Wii Music's flop potential to the rampant proliferation of Guitar Hero games. For the non-musically minded listeners, the panel goes off on Warhammer Online, Microsoft considering a Nintendo buyout circa 2003, and listeners' all-time favorite glitches. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 09/30/2008 There's a new DS on the way, Jack Thompson was disbarred, Bungie's making a new Halo, and Fable II will ship without a promised feature. There's so much news it took Aaron Thomas, Tom Mc Shea, Chris Watters, and Brendan Sinclair nearly an hour and a half to cover it all! Notes: This episode was Aaron Thomas' last regular appearance on the HotSpot. The HotSpot 10/07/2008 Jon Miller, Lark Anderson, and Brendan Sinclair drop the hate before recapping a flood of Nintendo news from the DSi to Punch-Out!! for Wii before digging in to discuss the potential of DLC as a bane to retailers and gamers both. Also, Jon relives a painful childhood memory to the delight and merriment of all. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 10/14/2008 Justin Calvert, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair welcome BioShock 2 lead level designer JP LeBreton to help negotiate the treacherous corridors deep within the week's news, including the Tokyo Game Show, BlizzCon, Saints Row 2, Dead Space, and a ton more. Notes: Last time Amazon gift certificate was given for the winner of the homework assignment. The gift certificate was replaced by a user emblem on the GameSpot forums and competition was opened for international listeners. The HotSpot 10/21/2008 Ricardo Torres, Jon Miller, Don "The People's Panelist" Francis, and Brendan Sinclair play with fire as they discuss a Little Big Planet blasphemy, Obama's play for gamer votes, playing as a force of good or evil, and franchises that need to die. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 10/28/2008 Talking about games is our business, and business is good! Mortal Kombat kreator Ed Boon swings by the studio to talk about taking on the DC Universe and the revitalized Electronic Entertainment Expo. It's a packed podcast featuring six GameSpotters talking up Fable II, Fallout 3, BioWare's Star Wars MMO game, and much more. Notes: This episode's panel consisted of Brendan Sinclair, Kevin VanOrd, Chris Watters, and Sophia Tong. Ricardo Torres and Tom Mc Shea took part in the Ed Boon interview. The HotSpot 11/04/2008 California State Senator Leland Yee comes by to defend his gaming legislation and class up the joint, but only after Shaun McInnis, Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, and Brendan Sinclair spend the better part of an hour taking things in the opposite direction. Notes: Don Francis and Ricardo Torres took part in the Leland Yee interview segment. This was Don Francis' last regular appearance on the HotSpot. The HotSpot 11/11/2008 Ricardo Torres, Tom Magrino, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair shoot the breeze (and the aliens) on Gears of War 2, Resistance 2, and Mirror's Edge, then it's on to shuttered studios, the best inventions of 2008, and more phone calls and e-mails than are probably healthy. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 11/18/2008 Shaun White answers the Call of Duty as the HotSpot crew gets down to the Nuts and Bolts of Wrath of the Lich King...Gears of War 2. Also, we get elbow deep in discussion about the ESRB's spoiler-rific ratings summaries and dole out mad props to awesome listeners who donated to Child's Play. Notes: This episode's panel consisted of Brendan Sinclair, Justin Calvert, Tom Mc Shea, and Chris Watters. The HotSpot 11/25/2008 It looks like the best/worst of the holiday blockbuster rush is behind us, so Tom Magrino, Brian Ekberg, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair have time to reflect on the hits that were and run down the New Xbox Experience before seeing Dead Rising and PETA in court. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 12/02/2008 Chris Watters, Sophia Tong, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair break down gaming's 10 commandments, lobby for a Halo-Rashomon crossover, show some love to GTAIV, and share their top three games of 2008. Notes: Fill in notes here. The HotSpot 12/09/2008 Shaun McInnis, Jon Miller, Kevin VanOrd, and Brendan Sinclair fight through a serious case of "senioritis" to discuss the new Prince of Persia and a packed week of news featuring Uncharted 2, GTAIV for PC, Killzone 2, Brutal Legend, and casual racism as a PR strategy. Notes: This was Jon Miller's final regular appearance on the HotSpot. The HotSpot 12/16/2008 Ricardo Torres, Tom Magrino, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair recap the biggest trends of 2008 and look forward to God of War, Brutal Legend, Wolverine: Origins, and (fingers crossed) Michael Phelps vs. Aquaman. Notes: Fill in notes here.